


Overcurious

by AlJayne



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Also there's plot too i guess, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, And Ink completely ignoring his warnings, Basically Ink being nosy about Error's personal life, Developing Friendships, Geno is dead, Ink is probs gonna get himself killed, Ink stop scaring Error, Kinda, M/M, Parspicle is a bad influence, Romantic Friendship, Supernatural Elements, The dream bros are important kiddos, Then doing stupid things, Then helping him, With Error like "you're literally going to get killed and I'm not helping u", and Error wants to be left alone, characters and realtionships to be added, friendships, how do you come up with titles, or something, platonic ErrorBerry, what does this have to do with Undertale
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-18
Updated: 2019-08-28
Packaged: 2020-05-13 21:00:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19259104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlJayne/pseuds/AlJayne
Summary: You'd think Error Queen would be accustomed to the bizarre by now, especially considering he lived with a half-dead brother who now kind-of-dating the literal Grim Reaper, some sort of '90s gremlin, and a single mom. Not to say that he wasn't a bit of an anomaly himself, of course. That's what he thought too.Unfortunantly for him, us artists tend to have an eye for shiny things, and a bored, curious Ink is worth fearing.





	1. Ink Finds Something Shiny

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Ink Runs a Vape Shop and Error's a Good Christian Boy](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18752863) by [Parspicle](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Parspicle/pseuds/Parspicle). 
  * Inspired by [Isaac Beamer Versus the Supernatural](https://archiveofourown.org/works/8470636) by [OneBizarreKai](https://archiveofourown.org/users/OneBizarreKai/pseuds/OneBizarreKai). 
  * Inspired by [A Sweet Melody](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18727531) by [orphan_account](https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account). 
  * Inspired by [Ink's Dead And Error's Writing Fanfic](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18484000) by [Parspicle](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Parspicle/pseuds/Parspicle). 



> Parspicle is a horrible influence. I am going blame this creature's cursed existence entirely on you. Look at what you've done.
> 
> I am a beginning writer, but I am also a perfectionist, which makes for a horrible, very painful combination. 
> 
> Mutatedbunnies' writing was also a inspiration, but the two heaviest inspirations for this were IBVS by OneBizarreKai and Parspicle's works. 
> 
>  
> 
> To be fair, I probably would have reacted the same way as Ink. Exccept with less French.

Ink was _ecstatic_ , and beside himself anticipation. It was the type of anticipation that caused your entire body to tense up. The agitating urge to pace, strangle a stuffed animal, chew a pencil, punch a wall, do _anything_ that wasn't lying still was downright oppressing.

Everyone in the house could tell.

Probably because Ink was doing just that.

Tomorrow would be his first day at his new high school, the one his friends attended, having been expelled from the one he went to during his freshman year. His uncles had finally managed to talk the school into taking him despite his reputation as a walking disaster (and the official records that backed it up).

According to his mother's brother and his husband he was creative, and according to his mother herself he was reckless. In the words of Dream he was an adrenaline junkie. Blue just laughed.

Ink had met Blue on his way to do something Very Dangerous and Stupid. To his surprise, the small boy had wanted assist him, and he was ever baffled by how Blue knew what he was planning. It was not long before he became one of Ink's closest friends and introduced him to Dream.

He hoped their school would be just as interesting as them.

Specifically, the type of interesting everyone seemed dead set on avoiding. If you don't get involved, the chances of getting killed by it decrease considerably. Sure, that women probably did have multiple arms, and yes, that was probably a god. People turned a blind eye to it though, and didn't ask questions for their own safety.

Ink was not people.

 

 

 

The next day, Ink found himself being dragged through a maze-like mess by Blue.

"It's only our first day back," complained Dream. "Can't you introduce them later?"

"No!" exclaimed Blue.

He continued, "E's my oldest (close) friend, from since before I met even you. But _every time_ I've tried to introduce him to Ink before, something always pops up. Error must have been setting stuff up as an excuse to avoid people. But this time he SHALL NOT ESCAPE!"

Blue swerved to avoid running into a group of students.

"He needs more friends, so friends he will- Oh, hi! Hi! Hi. Hi. Hi. H- wow, I haven't talked to you in two years! How you've been, buddy?! Hi. Hi. Hi. Hi, remember me? You were in my first grade class! Did your cat ever get better? The one your dad got for your family a couple years before we met, I think that's what you said? She got sick in February, I think it the third or fourth was when you mentioned it. Let's see... It was definitely the third, because we made the card on the fourth, in the morning. You know, Muffin? Aww... I'm sorry to hear that. Wait! Have a Kisses! Chocolate makes everything better! Hi. Hellooo!"

Ink stifled a laugh at the bewildered expression of a person who very obviously didn't remember his first grade classmate. This was what he adored about Blue, who he was fairly certain was omnipresent, if not omnipotent.

Sighing, Dream broke into a jog to keep up. "Bl-"

"ERROR! Look, there he is! You aren't going to disappear this time, Queen!"

Ink was more or less picked up and carried as his tiny yet surprisingly strong friend bolted in pursuit of a blurry figure that seemed determined to get as far away as possible. Dream gave on following them. The bystanders gawked.

Error was finally cornered.

"Blueberry," he said carefully as he eyed Ink. "What is _that_?"

Blue dumped the (just barely) taller boy on the floor unceremoniously as he cheerfully explained to Error, "This is Ink! I told you about him, remember? And tried to introduce you to him... multiple times. All of which you avoided some way or another, or flat out ran away from, literally."

Error nervously glanced down, and jumped back a little at the look Blue's friend was giving him. Sure, he got a lot of stares (stares which he didn't care about) but something about that one absolutely terrified him.

Where had he seen that indescribable look of fascination before? Oh right. When he met Blue. And as dear as his first and closest friend was to him, he only ever needed ONE Blue in his life, thank you very much.

 

Ink glanced up and-

Oh.

Ink was met was startled, golden eyes.

Which was absolutely __**AESTHETIC** _ _ combined with the stranger's dark complexion.

Did the stranger have flecks of blue in his eyes too? In was hard to tell from where Ink was at but-

Blunt though he may be, Ink was still an artist.

He let out a strangled sort of cry.

"Berry, I think I broke him."

His friend responded with, "No, he's just like this sometimes."

"So he was already broken."

"Don't say that, Error."

Error. So...

Ink abruptly jumped to his feet and grabbed Blue, shaking him while desperately screaming in French, " _YOU DIDN'T TELL ME_ -"

"Ink, I can't understand a word you're saying," said Blue calmly as Error leaned a far away as possible.

He just groaned and buried his face in his best friend's shoulder. "Aesthetics."

Blue rolled his eyes. "I see. You're scaring Error, by the way."

Ink immediately pulled away and looked him dead in the eyes. "Are you implying that _I_ , an _artist_ -"

"Um... That was the bell... So I'm just gonna go..."

"Am to show _shame_ when presen-"

Blue cut him off. "Where'd Error go?"

 

Ink came running into the classroom five minutes late. 

"I got lost."

 

 

The rest of the day passed uneventfully, but Ink couldn't help but wonder who the boy he had been introduced to was speaking with after school. He was talking to a wall, after all.

 

 

 


	2. Gosh, Pay Attention Ink

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beware, fat author's note incoming:
> 
> First of all, Error and Ink's moms aren't meant to be their original creators bcuz those are real people, just sort of inspired by them.
> 
> Also
> 
> Aldksndndkdmrldlkdjdkrlldmdnfndlsl  
> Sorry this took so long I just-  
> Chapters shouldn't take so long after I get into the rythym of the story. I'm experimenting with stuff a lot here.  
> Like, the reason the first ones are taking so long is I'm still trying to figure out approach. Then it should go smoother.  
> Also, I know there isn't a whole lot actually HAPPENING here, but there is a reason for that.
> 
> See, real life hit me in the face with a wet fish, so I'm kinda stressed right now. And when I'm stressed and trying to write, my perfectionism goes into overdrive I sort of obsess over the format and stuff of how stuff is happening and what stuff is happening and the approach, so I end up writing the beginning of the chapter like six times then I realize that there's this way better approach/route to use, then I end up planning out this actually really good, plot productive way for the chapter to go in my head. Then I just can't write it right, so I try to do it and edit it different ways. Then I end up going to the middle and rewriting the entire second half. Rinse and repeat.
> 
> But it keeps me busy, and and I like experimenting with this type of thing, so it's not horrible.
> 
> The thing is, then I get anxious about actually posting it.  
> Rinse and repeat entire process as needed.
> 
> Please don't do this, guys.
> 
> So what finally happened, is I just decided- You know what? I'm just going to casually type something from a different, not forced, not rushed over a not huge period of time and not get stressed. Then this sort of just poured on to the screen. And while there isn't a lot actually happening:
> 
> Okay, so I've done some cleaning up and editing. I can:
> 
> Post this as is since I've started the next chapter and some people apparently are interested in an update.  
> I can have a chance to regain my bearings and write in a healthy manner without looking like I completely disappeared off ao3.
> 
> Or 
> 
> I can scrap this and continue to obsess over better ways I can make the chapter go and stuff and give myself more irl anxiety.
> 
>  
> 
> Yeah. I went with option one.

Ink was curious.

...Curious may be a bit of an understatement.

Why?

Error Queen, who was Blue's best friend, was interesting. Error Queen, who he heard so much about, was interesting. Error Queen, who managed to evade properly meeting him for over a year, was interesting. Error Queen, who ran from potential human interaction, was interesting. Error Queen, who had red highlights and golden eyes, was interesting. Error Queen, who talked to an entity either invisible, telepathic, or nonexistent (or possibly the wall he was yelling at) then ran once again when spotted, was _interesting_.

And holy Copic Sketch, Ink was interested.

Of course, pursuing what he found _interesting_ often turned quite dangerous, but why should that discourage him from having fun? Because of the danger, according to Dream. Even so, he's found some of the best (and most bizarre) businesses, groups, people, "people," not-people, and as well as countless other things by taking risks. 

To Ink, one of the most valuable of those 'things' was entertainment of the risk itself. The firsthand knowledge of the happening. He _needed_  to be out there himself. Hardly even a matter of want anymore, it was a desperate, smothering desire that stifled out any voice of logic that tried to dissuade him.

 

Saturday morning, he decided to take a walk.

Maybe it wasn't the most safest activity in the world, seeing as Ink was essentially just going to walk around town, maybe the park or area of woods, aimlessly until his head was clear or he found something entertaining. If worse came to worse, he was never without a pencil pouch full of art supplies and a sketch book, which helped him in _most_ nasty situations _._ Often, he improvised.

He waved goodbye to his mother, who made him promise not to do anything too stupid and to be at least somewhat careful.

His mother was the most brilliant creature ever, with his uncles as close seconds. Her name was Maya Comyet, and she was absolutely gorgeous, in an imperfect, flawed sort of way. Her ever untamable hair, which Ink had always likened to oak wood, was cut short with tuffs and and curls sticking out at random. What's so special about brown hair, they would ask, for they preferred honey locks braided to be a thick rope of gold or a fiery red mane that tumbled unbound. He'd seen them gawk at midnight hair that would hang like a dark waterfall, framing a face that rivaled its own beauty.

Everything, Ink would explain, everything in the unmatched raw charm carried by earthy, woodland hues.

Ink could find something special in all colors.

Her hair seemed to reflect her personality, in a way. Spirited, a bit spunky, patient enough to parent someone named Ink, and not without her rebellious streak (among a million other traits). She worked as a semi well-known author and artist, and also helped out part time in a cafe as a favor for the owner's family, who were old friends of hers.

The summer leading up to his first year at high school, she had moved in with her brother and his husband. They were magicians with a house bigger than they knew what to do with. It had two generous floors, a basement, and an attic. They bought it cheap a few years ago since the owner had it on the market for a while and was anxious to get rid of it. Something about weird occurrences, which were, in the eyes of Aster and Top, all the more reason to buy the place.

Most importantly, she put up with Ink's shenanigans, even if she didn't encourage them the way his uncles did. Despite how he got in trouble, she would still help him, and didn't try to hover or limit his freedom. Even if she tried, it would have been pointless anyways. This is not to say she wasn't strict when she needed to be or didn't enforce her rules, of course.

When Ink messed up, which he did a lot, he wasn't afraid to go to her, but he hated her expression of disappointment. He hated upsetting her. He hated being the cause of her stress, and he _tried_ to be good, he really did, but when it counted he still managed to get himself in trouble. She didn't say he was part of the reason they need to move in with his uncles to give herself more breathing room, but he could hear it in her voice. The owner of their rental _was_ a prick, and it _was_ a generally expensive area, but Ink knew he was part of the reason she needed the mentioned breathing room. Then what did he do over the course of next year? More risky behavior. Again. Make her worry. Again. Get kicked out of school. Again. 

As he kicked a rock, Ink decided that this year would be different. There were no promises about risky behavior or limiting his exploits, but he would try not to distress her. He wouldn't get kicked out of school, even if the principal totally deserved it. (Disappointing his mom was his only cause for guilt. Besides that, he had no regrets.)

Just like how he "didn't" almost every other year. 

Yeah, Ink, that's a good one.

"Are you trying to get yourself killed!?" hissed a vaguely familiar voice as some-not-a-hand-thing jerked him back. He blinked out of his trance. Infont of him was one of the busier roads. A car zoomed by. 

"Not really, no." Ink frowned. "Okay, I know I've been kind of out of it all week, but have I really been this out of it? I almost just walked into a road. And a car. Possibly multiple cars."

"Do you honestly think I can answer that?" grumbled the voice.

Ink turned around and found himself face to face with Error Queen.

The boy appeared about the same as the last time they saw each other in their only shared class, during which he always went out of his way to avoid talking to Ink.

For someone so closed off and supposedly hostile, Error certainly wasn't unpleasant to look at, in a totally noncreepy way. His skin was a rich shade of brown, but light enough to have noticeable contrast against the dark tone of his hair, which was tipped in crimson and did this adorable sort of curl at the end. When describing him, Blue hadn't mentioned the curl. Not only that, but the jeens, the blue and black jacket, the snug red sweater, the red in his hair, all topped off with the occasional placing of gold, seemed fit together perfectly. Ink several times wondered if his entire wardrobe was in that color scheme.

Error's gilded eyes were easily Ink's favorite part of his outward appearance though. (Still in a totally noncreepy way, of course.) This time, he was wearing a thick pair of round wide rim glasses.

Ink being Ink, the first words out of his mouth were, "You have glasses? They match your hair thingies. Makes ya look like a big huge _nerd_. You're a gorgeous child. I love it so much."

"Shut up- wait, what did you say?" Error cut himself off with a baffled expression. 

"Do you normally use contacts?" asked Ink curiously.

"Yes! What. Did you say though? The last part."

"Contacts?"

"No! The other thing- just never mind." Error shook his head.

His eyes darted around as if searching for something. "Not that I care, but what were you thinking about?"

"Um. I don't really remember that well? Art, I think. And books. And squirrels. And how cool it would be to forge a sword made out of the iron of your own blood."

Ink recieved odd look.

"Also, self depreciative trash-"

Error will later deny saying, "Mood."

"-and my awesome mom."

Error's expression was the closest thing Ink had gotten so far to a sign of approval. In fact, he almost _smiled,_  cue overdramatic background gasps. Suddenly his gaze settled on something on the other side of the road and his face twisted in scowl. "Hate those things."

Ink turned to look, but before he could, Error hurriedly said, "You were think about blood swor- er, your mom?"

"Yeah! My mom is Best mom," announced Ink enthusiastically.

His eyes suddenly narrowed again. "Fight me on this, art boy."

"No."

There was an awkward pause before Error abruptly grabbed his grocery bag and left, as if he had only just noticed that he was interacting with Ink- cue more overdramatic background gasping.

"Bye then?"

This time, Ink really did turn around. He didn't see any those things.

On his way home, he remembered that whatever Error had grabbed him with hadn't been his hands. He pulled some blue strings off his arm and placed them on his dresser to inspect later, and maybe use a proof when he interrogated him later.

He then proceeded to call Blue and tell him everything.

That afternoon, Blue came over Error's house to make stuff with yarn and was once again told everything. He just smiled and nodded. 

 

Ink spent the next week trying to confront Error about the strings. He did ask Blue for help, but all he got was uncertain sounding nonsense, though he did make out something about not pressuring Error into too much at once.

"Why is this so important to you?" asked Dream. He seemed oddly moody. 

Blue was with another group, though they all had the same lunch period.

"Because! Also, what's with you lately?" responded Ink.

"Nothing."

"Out with it, boy."

"I'm-"

"What?"

"Fine, I just- Nightmare's acting weird again."

"Well, that sucks."


	3. Error Hears Something and Ink Makes a Thing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Is the next chapter going to give Error an internal crisis? 
> 
> Yes. Yes it is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I-  
> I can explain why it took so long.
> 
> Also, some of you may have heard me talk about upcoming chapter stuff on Tumblr (@charanal, if you want to check it out I have some Overcurious related doodles and other stuff there. Am I shamelessly self advertising right now? Yes.) but the contents of this chapter is a completely different thing than the stuff I was talking about for next chapter(s) there.
> 
> Also, the date Ink mentions isn't really plot important. It's just a silly one time thing that they tried without very much significance. The only reason I even included it's existence at all was because of Huntyr (@Parspicle) and the other Tumblr kids talking about yeeting the cheer captain.
> 
> ...It's a long story.

Error was not having a good day.

He hadn't gone to bed until five in the morning, which wasn't new, but then he was woken up an hour later _very loudly_ by his youngest brother, Fresh. Any possibility of a good mood was thrown out the door in the same moment he was.

Error didn't necessarily feel like walking, but he definitely didn't feel like pulling some sort of glitchy trick to avoid it, and the elder of his two younger brothers, Geno, didn't seem to particularly care. Their mother drove Fresh to school since it was in the opposite direction as the high.

Honestly, all Error wanted was to be left alone. Well, maybe that wasn't _all_ he wanted, but was it really too much to ask for? He had enough anomalies to deal with on his own even while avoiding what he could, what being almost everything- supernatural or otherwise. It's not like there was nothing that interested him, but he liked to call the respectable distance he tried to mantain  _common sense_.

Ink evidently did not have common sense.

To be truthful? Error had no idea what think of the guy.

Error thought he couldn't meet anyone weirder than the people he already knew. He thought he had become accustomed to unexpected and bizzare circumstances- specifically avoiding them. He thought that he was used to surprises by now, how ever much he disliked them.

That was before he met this kid.

Sure, Ink wasn't too hard on the eyes, but he _was_ annoying.

Ink had been annoying from the very moment Error first made eye contact with the artist. Ink had been annoying when he was badgering for an explanation of his conversation with the Voices. Ink had been annoying when he almost walked out into a road. Ink had _definitely_ been annoying over the course of the next week while pestering him about the strings. Only then was Error beginning to realize that this nuisance's sheer persistence and curiosity might be an actually threat.

Even Dream's stupid, unsettling, sunny aura wasn't that irritating. Then there was the weird thing the his stomach would do whenever Ink smiled that idiotic smile, which he absolutely hated. By extension, he told himself, he hated Ink.

Yeah, he hated him. That was it. That was all this was.

 

"C'mon, Error." Geno's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. "We're here. School sucks. I know. Now stop sulking and go find Blue or something."

It was what, fifteen, five, ten minutes before class started? Error grumbled as he did so, but slunk off to give himself a few minutes before he had to go to class, and maybe if he was lucky get there before the crowd.

He wished he went to one of those high schools that didn't use bells. Bells were loud and annoying and stupid. 

Like Ink.

The Voices rarely appeared outside of That Place, but of _course_ when they did the hyperactive art kid just _happened_ to be watching.

Why did he use his strings back then?

Right, because he didn't want to use his hands.

Stupid hands. Stupid artist.

 

It was Dream's voice that caught his attention.

"Fine, I just- Nightmare's acting weird again."

Under most conditions, Error would have just left, especially since the brown haired boy he was talking to was very obviously Ink. If it was anything important he'd hear about it from Blueberry.

For some reason, he stayed.

"Oh. That sucks." Ink, he decide, was a true poet. Among other things. Emphasized sarcasm.

Nightmare. Error had went to the same middle school as him from 7th grade onwards, and found him was surprisingly decent company, though not the type of person he would want to hang with for extended amounts of time. Error wasn't really interested in other people's problems, but that didn't mean he never experienced curiosity. Of course, what he knew about the Joku family was going entirely off Blue's story, so he couldn't vouch for the validity of the information itself, but he _could_ vouch for Blue's accuracy, which he considered to be about the same thing. Nightmare attended a different high school though, that was just common knowledge.

In Error's opinion, the "again" was far from necessary. Nightmare always acted weird.

Dream continued, "He got better after joining his... group, but, and it's not like this is the first time this has happened since, he's- well, he's been shutting me and pretty much everything else out over the past few days. I think it might be readjusting to school again, and I know it'll go away soon anyways, but something specific might have happened and I just don't like it when he does this!" The words tumbled out, frantic, distraught.

Error wasn't eavesdropping. They were openly talking in a public school area, what did they expect?

"...Do you want me to talk to him?" asked Ink slowly after a minute.

"No." Dream blurted out immediately. "I mean- You don't have to. I think it would be better to, you know, wait. I... I really want to do something, and just feel _really frustrated_ that I can't, and I hate it, but I don't know what to do."

"That... still sucks," replied Ink awkwardly. Error rolled his eyes. "I'm not sure what else to say."

The was a beat of silence.

"Hey, I don't remember when, but when exactly did I go on a date with him? It was... a while ago, wasn't it?"

He _what_.

"You _what_."

"I thought we told you. It was one-time date anyways, so no biggie." Ink tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Eh, I'll just ask Blue later."

He bounced up. "Class! Bye!"

"B-but!" Dream sputtered. "One time or no! You! Went on a date with my brother and I didn't know? How did I not know?"

He was well out of hearing range by then. Now, Error figured, was as good of a time as any to leave himself. Everyone else was leaving. Also, didn't want to be late to class.

Error didn't even care about what was going on, and he cared even less about the combination of the concepts of _Ink_ and _date_.

 

"Blue?"

The boy in question turned. "What's up, Ink?"

"I think Error is mad at me."

He blinked, then laughed.

"Well yeah, Error is always mad at everyone."

And, in most people's eyes, it was true. Error could go off at the drop of a hat, but he also had this cheeky, out of control, cocky sort of grin. You wouldn't think the same smile could convey such annoyance, but it was almost as repellent as his scowl. In public, he was usually scowling. Really, he was a quite an expressive (and according to Blue, easy to read. Ink didn't think so.) person, but most of his expressions, even that occasional lopsided grin, showed some form of outward addressed anger. Could he be called antisocial? Well, either way he was, among other things, including but certainly not limited to, _moody,_   _cold_ , _irritable_ , and _reclusive._

Blue had seen genuine excitement in that smile before though.

"Except you," corrected Ink.

"Debatable."

Ink pondered that for a moment. "Is there anything I can make him? Like, maybe not to make him unmad, but just something he'll like? Should I?"

Blue grinned. Ink was fast moving, too fast for most people. That was probably why he played Error's stalling game for so long; he was somewhat worried about how overwhelming Ink could be. Eventually he did get impatient though, and well- at school there's only so much you can do to avoid someone. His friends needed to at least meet each other. Besides, Error and Ink were easily capable of compliment each other's personalities if only they were able to pause long enough to actually become friends.

Blue had told Ink what he could about Error without revealing anything too... personal, but there were some things about a person, certain realizations and impressions, you had to make yourself. Ink was aware he shouldn't touch Error, and although he was scatterbrained he was far from unobservant. Evidently he had realized that a different approach to get the doofus's attention wad necessary. Still, neither him or Error were very good at reading people or knowing when they went to far, though Error was far more likely to stress over it than Ink. 

Error was _very_ good at objects though. Naturally, he did make the occasion stupid assumption, but could judge the intended worth a present had with surpring accuracy. Truth to be told? One of his biggest secret pleasures was gift giving, definitely not something you'd ever guess from looking at him. Buying something for someone else was... tolerable, but he loved to make things. Like Ink.

Just like Ink, and physical objects were probably the best possibly way to get to him.

"Yeah," agreed Blue. "You should do that."

Ink bounced a little. He did that a lot, didn't he? "What does he like?"

Blue hardly had to think about it. "Stars, cats, chocolate, crochet, strings, books, surprisingly enough romances, dramas, occasionally musicals or movies, stargazing, stars, space, stars, space stars, other solar systems' suns, math, he has cats by the way, sugar, chocolate, all the chocolate, cats-"

Ink laughed. "Hold on, let me write this all down! Also, do you think an, ah, 'special' thing would be good?" 

"Special, huh? Go for it! Whatever you think is good!"

"Blue, that's a dangerous thing to say."

 

After getting input - a lot of input - from Blue, Ink sat down at his desk and pulled out the notes and recordings he had collected from the conversation. After looking over his idea one more time, he carefully took his paintbrush and touched it to the air. A stroke here, form some paint there, details next-

He stared at the three dimensional object created purely out of ink and paint and a little bit of Special- magic, supernatural, call it what you will. Ink reached for the strings, as a sort of peace offering. He had found some plain black paper, and while it did go with his target's personal color scheme, it was _blah_. A perfect opportunity to spice things up.

 

Ink ran, because if he didn't run he would have to think about it, and he really didn't want to think about it. His breath came out in short gasps as his feet pounded the asphalt and cement. _Thud, thud, thud_.

Was that a hummingbird?

_Thud, thud, thud._

That was a pretty bush.

Arriving at the apartment complex, Ink experienced a brief moment of panic. What was the number? Instinctively, he fumbled to open the small, fern-colored notebook he kept accessible at all times. After a moment of flipping through it, it occurred to him that Blue and Error were neighbors, and he could just ask Blue-

There's the number!

Now, was that a one or a seven?

 

Ink shifted from foot to foot. He drummed his fingers on the wrapped gift, bit his lip, clenched his hands, shoved a couple sticks of gum in his mouth-

Holding still was hard.

Ink wanted to do _something_ , but had absolutely no idea _what_.

He knocked on the door a couple times before reaching to spam the doorbell. He doubted the gesture would go appreciated, but it was fun. Suddenly, a short haired women opened the door.

" 'Sup."

Ink stared for a minute, taking her in. He had seen her before, probably at school, or when he was at Blue's. After about forty seconds of silence, she began to sweatdrop.

"Um... 'Sup," she repeated again.

Ink blinked, then suddenly his face split into a huge grin. The hand that wasn't hold the gift darted out, just a tan-and-gray blur, and seized her's. He made a great deal of shaking it, and she returned the gesture with just as much vigor. 

"Eyyy! Do where you know- Do you know where- how- Words- Is this- Do you know where the Queen family exists?"

She spread out her arms. "Here, of course. Though we are moving out soon. Still in the relative area."

Ink hopped a little. "Really? Oh, uh, is Error-Hey, you remind me kind of of my uncle! I don't know what it is though..." He trailed off, clicking his tongue thoughtfully.

"That's neat! But what about Error, my boy? You go to his school?" she cut in, bringing his attention back to the matter at hand. "I'm their mom, by the way."

Probably at school then. "Yeah, oh, uh- is he here? I kind of wanted to talk- er- give him a thing."

She turned back to the open door. "Hey! Geno, is E in there?"

"Just disappeared."

Error's brother started high this year, didn't he?

"I see." She rolled her eyes, and Ink had an odd feeling that there was more going on than he was aware of. Before he could further speculate, she began speaking again.

"Pretty sure, but your name is..."

"James. James Bond."

She snickered, and his smile widened.

"Spelled I-N-K and C-O-M-Y-E-T."

An understanding look seemed to cross her face. "Yeah, figured. B-Berry's friend, right? Didn't he bring you over few times looking for Error?"

"And every time he 'just disappeared.'"

That seemed to amuse her. "Anyways, what was it you wanted to talk to him about?"

Ink fumbled with the object for a few seconds. "Uh, can you give this to him?"

Queen Mom shrugged. "Sure, I can do that. Wh-"

Before she could finish, he had roughly shoved it into her hands and bolted.

And if he was still grinning when he reached his own house, well who's business was that?


End file.
